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Ellis, St. Clare's Hospitals in Schenectady County Awarded Million to Implement Berger Commission Mandates

Glendale Home Awarded $3 Million

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 17, 2008) –State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., today announced the Health Department will award $50 million in grants to two Schenectady hospitals, Ellis and St. Clare's, to help them comply with the mandates of the Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, known as the Berger Commission. The recommendations in the report require the two hospitals to join under a single unified governance structure and develop an integrated health system in Schenectady County, and state law requires the facilities to comply.

The funding will cover employee benefit obligations of St. Clare's and the costs associated with Ellis and St. Clare's realignment of services during a transition period. The transition will include elimination of duplicative services through reconfiguration, relocations between campuses, and primary care development in conjunction with community groups and providers.

These awards are in addition to previous grants announced to assist with the closure of Bellevue Woman's Hospital and the provision of women's health care services by Ellis Hospital at the former Bellevue campus.

Addressing the need for a more stable and integrated primary care services structure continues to be the Health Department's priority. Last November, $500,000 in grants were awarded to two primary clinics in Schenectady, the Hometown Health Clinic and the Schenectady Free Health Clinic. "Integrating services currently separated on two hospital campuses into a single management is the first step. The further development of primary care services in the County is essential to improving patient care," Commissioner Daines said.

Glendale Home, also the subject of a Berger Commission mandate to substantially downsize, will receive an award of $3 million to plan for the reconfiguration of nursing home beds in a more cost-effective setting. Glendale Home is a residential health facility owned and operated by Schenectady County.

"These awards provide Schenectady County with a the opportunity to move forward in planning and restructuring acute, primary and long-term care services provided to the residents of the County," Dr. Daines said. "We look forward to a continuing dialogue with the providers, physicians and consumers in the County as we work toward an integrated health care delivery system to meet the needs of all residents."

David D. Brown IV, executive director of the Dormitory of the State of New York, said: "Our agency is pleased to provide the financial services that enable the state Health Department and local healthcare facilities do this important work that will result in a better system of health services for the residents of Schenectady County and surrounding areas."